Air filter system

ABSTRACT

An air filter system for use by airline passengers on commercial airlines and the like. The housing is configured to clamp to the gasper air supply nozzle of the airliner. The housing is configured to direct air from the air supply nozzle through the filter medium. Thus, the present invention provides a filter which may easily be installed by an airline passenger so as to mitigate airborne contaminants from the air supply nozzle of the airliner. The air filter system provides a flow of comparatively clean air to the passenger and the flow of comparatively clean air directs undesirable airborne contaminants found within the passenger cabin of the airliner away from the passenger, thus forming a region of comparatively clean air generally around the passenger.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/633,369, filedAug. 7, 2000, its contents are expressly incorporate herein byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates generally to fluid filters. Thepresent invention relates more particularly to an air filter system formitigating the exposure of an airline passenger to undesirable airborneparticulate and/or chemical substances.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Modern passenger aircraft, such as commercial jet airliners,commonly include a passenger support unit (PSU) located generally aboveeach passenger's seat. The PSU typically includes a reading light, anair supply nozzle and an emergency oxygen mask for each passenger. Theair supply nozzle facilitates control of the quantity and direction ofair provided to the passenger.

[0004] Such contemporary air supply nozzles are typically adjusted bythe passenger, so as to direct a stream of air upon the passenger's faceand/or torso. This stream of air is refreshing and is intended toenhance the comfort of the passenger.

[0005] Although such contemporary air supply nozzles do typicallyenhance the comfort of a passenger during flight, such contemporary airsupply nozzles suffer from inherent deficiencies which tend to detractfrom their overall utility. For example, the air flowing through an airsupply nozzle and being directed toward the face of a passenger maycontain undesirable airborne contaminants such as germs, dust andpollen.

[0006] The air circulation system of a commercial airliner typically hasa particulate filter incorporated therein. However, such filters must bechanged periodically in order to maintain their effectiveness. Althoughboth the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the aircraftmanufacturer provide guidelines regarding the frequency with whichaircraft air recirculation filters must be changed, there is noassurance that the airlines actually follow such guidelines.

[0007] Indeed, there is generally a substantial incentive for airlinecompanies to disregard such guidelines, since more frequent filterreplacement is costly, not only in terms of parts and labor but also interms of the down time of the aircraft incurring such maintenance(during which the aircraft is clearly not contributing to the revenue ofthe airline).

[0008] There are documented cases of germs being transmitted amongpassengers during an airline flight. For example, in one incidentreported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, six of 257passengers contracted tuberculosis, presumably from a single inflectedpassenger aboard the airliner.

[0009] As a further example, an airliner containing one person who hadthe flu was known to sit on the ground for approximately three hours.Three days later, 38 of the 54 people aboard the aircraft had contractedthe flu.

[0010] Anecdotal evidence of this sort is abundant. Moreover, it is notdifficult to understand that when a number of people are crowdedtogether into a comparatively small space, such as that afforded by acommercial airliner, airborne contagiums will tend to be transmittedfrom one passenger to another.

[0011] In view of the foregoing, it is desirable to provide an airfilter system which mitigates the exposure of a passenger to undesirableairborne contaminants. More particularly, it is desirable to providesuch an air filter system which is configured so that a passenger mayinstall and utilize the air filter system personally, so as to assurethe adequacy of the filtration afforded thereby.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The present invention specifically addresses and alleviates theabove mentioned deficiencies associated with the prior art. Moreparticularly, the present invention comprises an air filter systemhaving a housing and a filter medium. The housing is configured to clampto an air supply nozzle, such as that of a commercial airliner.

[0013] As discussed in detail below, the air supply gasper nozzles ofdifferent airliners vary considerably in their configuration orgeometry. In order to enhance the utility of the present invention, theair filter system is configured so as to clamp onto a wide range ofnozzle geometries utilizing a single embodiment thereof.

[0014] As used herein, the term clamp is defined to include attachmentby urging together at least two generally opposed members of a firstdevice (such as the air filter system of the present invention) so as tocapture and grasp a second device (such as an air supply nozzle). Thus,according to the present invention, the term clamping includes graspingby a plurality of generally opposed fingers, as discussed in detailbelow. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various otherstructures are likewise suitable for effecting such clamping. Forexample, clamping may alternatively be accomplished via a common hoseclamp-like device or via any other similar structure. Moreover, clampingis defined herein so as to apply to any type of device which applies acompressive force to another device, so as to attach the two devices toone another.

[0015] The housing may be configured to clamp to any desired type of airsupply nozzle, as discussed in detail below. According to one aspect ofthe present invention, the housing is configured to clamp to the airsupply nozzle of a commercial airliner, so as to provide air to apassenger of the airliner in a manner which mitigates the exposure ofthe passenger to undesirable airborne contaminants. Further, since thehousing is configured to be clamped to the air supply nozzle by thepassenger, the passenger is assured of the adequacy of the filtrationafforded thereby. That is, the passenger is able to assure properoperation of the air filter system by performing the necessary filtermedium changes, as needed.

[0016] The housing is configured to direct air from the air supplynozzle through the filter medium, so as to remove undesirable airbornecontaminants. In this manner, the undesirable transmission of contagiumsand substances associated with allergies may be mitigated. Further, asubstantial portion of other undesirable airborne contaminants may beremoved. Indeed, carbon, ion-exchange resin, or another desired chemicalfilter medium may be included so as to mitigate the presence ofundesirable chemical substances such as fuel, oil, or hydraulic fluidfumes. Thus, according to the present invention, cleaner, more pure airis provided to a passenger so as to enhance the passenger's comfortduring flight and also so as to mitigate health risks which mightotherwise be present during the flight.

[0017] The filtered air stream from the air filter system can beutilized to force unwanted airborne contaminants away from thepassenger's breathing space. Thus, germs from the surroundingpassengers, cabin dust and mold from inside the cabin can all be forcedaway from the passenger by utilizing the filtered air stream.

[0018] Preferably, the air filter system of the present inventioncomprises a collet which is configured to clamp to the air supply nozzleof an airliner. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate thatvarious other means for clamping the housing to the air supply nozzleare likewise suitable.

[0019] As used herein, the term collet is defined to include anygenerally encircling or collar-like band, ferrule, flange or otherdevice which comprises a plurality of fingers or finger-like projectionswhich are capable of moving inwardly, so as to grasp an air supplynozzle.

[0020] According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention,the collet comprises a plurality of elongated independently articulatedfingers which are movable inwardly so as to grasp the air supply nozzleof a commercial airliner. The collet is preferably configured such thatthe fingers are movable inwardly so as to grasp a gasper nozzle of acommercial airliner. However, as those skilled in the art willappreciate, the collet may be configured such that the fingers thereofmove inwardly so as to grasp any desired type of air supply nozzle.

[0021] A clamp sleeve preferably receives a portion of the housing andthe clamp sleeve urges the plurality of fingers to move inwardly, so asto grasp the air supply nozzle, when the clamp sleeve is moved, e.g.,when the clamp sleeve is rotated with respect to the housing. The clampsleeve and the housing are preferably threadedly attached to one anotherand configured such that the plurality of fingers move inwardly when theclamp sleeve is rotated clockwise from the passenger's point of view.Thus, a passenger tightens the air filter system to the gasper nozzle byturning the clamp sleeve in the same direction, i.e., clockwise, that isused to screw a lightbulb into a socket. Thus, the threads which attachthe clamp sleeve to the housing preferably comprise left-handed threads.Alternatively, right-handed threads may be used.

[0022] An opening is preferably formed in the clamp sleeve and theopening is configured so as to urge the fingers inwardly toward the airsupply nozzle such that a distal portion of the fingers effectengagement with the air supply nozzle, so as to removably attach thehousing to the air supply nozzle.

[0023] Preferably, a resilient clamp pad is formed to each finger, so asto enhance grasping of the air supply nozzle by the fingers. Eachresilient clamp pad is preferably formed of molded polymer orelastomeric material such as silicone or urethane. However, thoseskilled in the art will appreciate that various other materials arelikewise suitable for forming the resilient clamp pad. For example, theresilient clamp pad may alternatively be formed from cork, felt, orleather, as well as various different fabric and fiber materials.

[0024] The housing preferably comprises an air inlet port and an airoutlet port. The filter medium is mounted within the housing such thatair entering the housing via the air inlet port is filtered by thefilter medium prior to the air exiting the housing via the air outletport. Alternatively, the filter medium may be attached to the outside ofthe housing, such that the filter medium covers the air outlet portthereof, for example.

[0025] The housing preferably comprises a separable two part housingdefining first and second housing sections thereof. The first and secondhousing sections of the two-part housing preferably attach to oneanother via a plurality of bayonet detents to facilitate quick andconvenient separation and attachment thereof. As used herein, the termbayonet detent is defined to include a detent which locks two items toone another when one of the items is pushed toward the other item andthen rotated with respect to the other item, such as the type of detentcommonly used to attach a bayonet to a rifle barrel.

[0026] Alternatively, various other means of attaching the first andsecond housing sections together may be utilized. For example, the firstand second housing sections may be threadedly attached to one another.As a further alternative, fasteners, such as nuts, bolts, screws, etc.,may be utilized to attach the first and second housing sections to oneanother. Indeed, any method which facilitates the convenient changing ofa filter medium disposed within the housing may be utilized to attachthe first and second housing sections to one another.

[0027] Separation of the first and second sections of the two-parthousing facilitates removal and replacement of the filter medium. Thefilter medium is preferably disposed within the housing such that thefilter medium is held in place by the first and second sections thereof.

[0028] The filter medium preferably comprises a disposable filtermedium, such that the disposable filter medium may be removed andreplaced with respect to the housing when or before the effectiveness ofthe disposable filter medium is reduced substantially due to use. Thefilter medium preferably comprises an electrostatically charged,polypropylene, non-woven membrane.

[0029] Alternatively, the housing may be sealed, i.e., not easilyopened, and the air filter system may be considered disposable. That is,rather than change the filter medium when the filter medium is no longeradequate for removing airborne contaminants from the air passingtherethrough, a new air filter system is used. The new air filter systemmay utilize the clamping mechanism of the old air filter system or,alternatively, may include a dedicated, disposable clamp mechanism ofits own.

[0030] A seal, preferably formed of a resilient polymer foam material,is optionally disposed proximate an air inlet port of the housing and isconfigured to mitigate air leakage intermediate the housing and the airsupply nozzle when the housing is clamped to the air supply nozzle. Thatis, the seal is positioned upon the housing and is configured such thatattachment of the housing to the air supply nozzle effects at least somecompression of the seal, such that air leakage between the seal and theair supply nozzle is mitigated. Preferably, the seal is attached, e.g.,via adhesive bonding, to the housing.

[0031] Preferably, an air outlet nozzle is pivotally attached to thehousing so as to facilitate aiming of air exiting the housing. The airoutlet nozzle of the housing mimics, to some degree, the aimable airoutlet nozzle of the airliner. This may be desirable since, in someinstances, the air filter system 10 of the present invention may inhibitaiming of the gasper nozzle 30. Thus, even when the air filter system ofthe present invention is installed upon an air outlet nozzle of anairliner, the passenger may direct the air output therefrom as desired.

[0032] Pivotal attachment of the air outlet nozzle to the housing ispreferably facilitated by forming a ball upon the housing, preferablysurrounding the air exit port thereof. The air outlet nozzle defines acomplementary socket which receives the ball, so as to facilitate aimingof air exiting the housing. Alternatively, the ball may be formed uponthe air outlet nozzle and the socket then formed upon the housing. Thoseskilled in the art will appreciate the various other means forfacilitating aiming of air exiting the housing are likewise suitable.

[0033] A mounting assembly facilitates mounting of the housing to theair supply nozzle. The mounting assembly comprises the seal, theplurality of fingers defined by the collet, and the clamp sleeve.

[0034] Although use of the present invention is described andillustrated herein as being intended for the filtering of air from anairliner's air supply nozzle, those skilled in the art will appreciatethat various other applications of the present invention are likewisesuitable. For example, the air filter system of the present inventionmay similarly be utilized to filter air within the passenger compartmentof various different types of vehicles, such as trains, buses, cars,trucks, boats, private aircraft and helicopters. Indeed, the presentinvention may be utilized to filter air in a wide variety ofapplications. Thus, discussion and illustration of the present inventionas being specifically applicable to the filtering of air within anairliner is by way of example only and not by way of limitation.

[0035] The air filter system of the present invention may be formedsubstantially from a low cost, injection molded polymer material.Therefore, the air filter system of the present invention is inexpensiveto manufacture and provides a low cost option for those airlinepassengers who are concerned about the presence of airborne contaminantsaboard commercial airliners and the like. Since the air filter system ofthe present invention is simply clamped onto the existing gasper nozzleof a commercial airliner, such as via the aforementioned attachmentmechanism, the air filter system of the present invention is convenientand easy to use.

[0036] According to an alternative configuration of the presentinvention, the housing is attached to a gasper nozzle via an adhesive,which is preferably formed upon a foam seal or gasket. According to thisalternative configuration of the present invention, a passengerpreferably merely removes a protective paper layer from the air inletside of the housing, so as to expose an adhesive layer. The air filtersystem is then attached to the gasper nozzle by merely pushing thehousing against the gasper nozzle, so as to effect adhesive bonding ofthe housing to the gasper nozzle.

[0037] Preferably, the adhesive and seal are formed such that the airfilter system may be removed from the gasper nozzle without leaving anoticeable amount of adhesive thereon. Further, the adhesive and sealare preferably configured such that pulling a tab or the like of theseal effects removal of the air filter system from the gasper nozzlewhile also destroying the seal. Thus, the seal may be considered a oneuse only item. Additional seals may then be provided separately from theair filter system to facilitate reuse of the air filter system. 3MCOMMAND ADHESIVE™ (a federally registered trademark of Minnesota Miningand Manufacturing Corporation of St. Paul, Minn.) is one example of suchan adhesive coated seal.

[0038] Thus, the present invention provides an inexpensive and easy touse air filter system for mitigating exposure to undesirable airbornecontaminants such as germs, dust and pollen which may be disseminatedvia a passenger's air supply nozzle on a commercial airliner or thelike.

[0039] These, as well as other advantages of the present invention, willbe more apparent from the following description and drawings. It isunderstood that changes in the specific structure shown and describedmay be made within the scope of the claims without departing from thespirit of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040]FIG. 1 is a semi-schematic, perspective view of the air filtersystem of the present invention installed upon an air supply nozzle viaclamping;

[0041]FIG. 2 is a semi-schematic, perspective view of the air supplynozzle of FIG. 1, showing the air filter system removed from the airsupply nozzle;

[0042]FIG. 3 is semi-schematic, perspective, exploded view of the airfilter system of FIG. 1;

[0043]FIG. 4 is a semi-schematic, cross-sectional, side view of the airfilter system of FIG. 1, showing that the housing is configured to clampto a variety of different air supply nozzle configurations;

[0044]FIG. 5 is a semi-schematic, cross-sectional, side view of the airfilter system of FIG. 1, showing the housing clamped to an air supplynozzle; and

[0045]FIG. 6 is a semi-schematic, cross-sectional, side view of analternative configuration of the air filter system, wherein the housingis attached to the air supply nozzle via adhesive bonding.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0046] The detailed description set forth below in connection with theappended drawings is intended as a description of the presentlypreferred embodiment of the invention and is not intended to representthe only form in which the present invention may be constructed orutilized. The description sets forth the functions of the invention andthe sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention inconnection with the illustrated embodiment. It is to be understood,however, that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may beaccomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to beencompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0047] The present invention is shown in FIGS. 1-5, which depict apresently preferred embodiment thereof. Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2,the air filter system 10 of the present invention may be mounted upon orattached to an air supply nozzle 30, such as the gasper nozzle of acommercial airliner. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, suchgasper nozzles are commonly provided as a part of the passenger supportunit (PSU) of a commercial airliner. Typically, each passenger has adedicated gasper nozzle for providing a controlled flow of air to thepassenger, so as to enhance the passenger's comfort during flight.

[0048] Such contemporary gasper nozzles are generally pivotally mounted(such as via a ball and socket arrangement) to the PSU such that theymay be aimed by the passenger as desired, e.g., typically toward thepassenger's head or torso. Air flow through the gasper nozzle maytypically be adjusted by turning the gasper nozzle, which usuallyresults in adjustment of a butterfly valve associated therewith.

[0049] However, as discussed in detail above, such air supply nozzles asthe gasper nozzles of commercial airliners do not necessarily provideclean, uncontaminated air. Rather, it is not uncommon for the airprovided by such air supply nozzles to be contaminated with airborneparticulates and/or undesirable chemicals. These contaminants may resultin the undesirable communication of disease, the aggravation ofallergies and/or irritation and discomfort.

[0050] In order to mitigate the undesirable consequences of suchairborne contaminants, while generally maintaining the desired comfortenhancing qualities associated with airline air supply nozzles, the airfilter system 10 of the present invention is attached to the air supplynozzle, e.g., air supply nozzle 30, of an airliner. The air filtersystem 10 of the present invention contains a filter medium 20 (FIGS. 3and 4) which, as discussed in detail below, tends to mitigate thepresence of such undesirable airborne contaminants within the flow ofair provided by the air supply nozzle 30. Further, the comparativelyclean air output by the air filter system 10 tends to form an envelopeor bubble of such comparatively clean air about the passenger at whomthe output thereof is directed. This envelope or bubble of comparativelyclean air tends to isolate the passenger from the adjacent,comparatively unclean air. Thus, the continuously flowing and filteredairstream of the air filter system 10 of the present invention desirablylimits an airline passenger's exposure to germs and particulates foundwithin the airliner's cabin.

[0051] Further, the air filter system 10 of the present inventioncomprises an air outlet nozzle 24 which facilitates directing of the airoutput therefrom in a desired direction, much in the same manner thatair may be directed via a contemporary air supply nozzle 30.

[0052] According to the present invention, the air filter system 10 isattached to the air supply nozzle 30 via a mounting assembly whichclamps the air filter system 10 to the air supply nozzle 30, asdiscussed in detail below.

[0053] Referring now to FIGS. 3-5, the air filter system 10 of thepresent invention more particularly comprises a housing, which ispreferably comprised of a first housing section 18 and a second housingsection 22. The first housing section 18 has an inlet port 26 formedtherein and, similarly, the second housing section 22 has an air outletopening 58 formed therein. The first housing section 18 and secondhousing section 22 are separably attached to one another so as tofacilitate the easy and convenient placement and holding of the filtermedium 20 therebetween, i.e., within the housing defined thereby.According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, aplurality of male bayonet detents 52 are formed upon the second housingsection 22 and a complementary plurality of female bayonet detents areformed upon the first housing section 18, such that the first 18 andsecond 22 housing sections may be attached to one another by pushing thesecond housing section 22 into the first housing section 18 and thenrotating the second housing section 22 slightly with respect to thefirst housing section 18, so as to engage the male bayonet detents 52 tothe female bayonet detents 53.

[0054] Optional alignment tabs 73 facilitate alignment of the secondhousing section 22 with respect to the first housing section 18 duringassembly of the second housing section 22 to the first housing section18. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, various such alignmenttabs and/or slots may similarly be utilized to facilitate assembly ofthe various different components of the present invention utilizingcontemporary automation processes.

[0055] Alternatively, the first 18 and second 22 housing sections may beremovably attached to one another by any other desired method. Thoseskilled in the art will appreciate that various other means, e.g.,threads or fasteners such as nuts, bolts and/or screws, may be utilizedto effect attachment of the first 18 and second 22 housing sections toone another.

[0056] As a further alternative, the first and second housing sectionsmay be permanently attached to one another and the air filter system ofthe present invention may then be considered disposable, as discussedabove.

[0057] As yet a further alternative, the filter element may be attachedto the outside of the housing, such as over the air outlet port 58thereof, or may otherwise be replaceable without requiring disassemblyof the housing.

[0058] The filter medium 20 preferably comprises a thin, generallycircular filter element which becomes clamped or captured between thefirst 18 and second 22 housing sections when the first 18 and second 22housing sections are attached to one another. The first housing section18 has a shoulder 54 (FIG. 4) formed thereon and the second housing 22has a generally complementary shoulder 56 formed thereon. The first 54and second 56 shoulders are preferably configured so as to haveapproximately the same diameter and so as to be juxtaposed such thatthey capture and clamp the periphery of the filter medium 20therebetween when the first 18 and second 22 housing sections areattached to one another. Those skilled in the art will appreciate thatvarious other means for mounting the filter medium 20 within the housingare likewise suitable.

[0059] The filter medium 20 preferably comprises an electrostaticallycharged polypropylene non-woven membrane. However, those skilled in theart will appreciate that various other types of filter medium arelikewise suitable.

[0060] According to the present invention, the air filter system 10 isattached to the air supply nozzle 30 by clamping the air filter system10 thereto. More particularly, according to the present invention, theair filter system 10 is attached to the air supply nozzle 30 via aplurality of fingers 42 which are urged inwardly so as to grasp and holdthe air supply nozzle 30 when a clamp sleeve 12 is moved with respect tothe housing.

[0061] According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention,the clamp sleeve 12 is threadedly attached to the first housing section18, such that rotating the clamp sleeve 12 with respect to the firsthousing section 18 in a manner which moves the clamp sleeve 12 towardthe second housing section 22 causes the periphery of opening 57 (FIG.4) to abut or cam against the fingers 42. More particularly, theperiphery of opening 57 cams against the camming surface 40 of thefingers 42 in a manner which forces the fingers 42 inwardly against theair supply nozzle 30.

[0062] The outer ring 19 of the first housing section 18 and grippingtabs 72 formed upon the second housing section 22 cooperate tofacilitate rotation of the second housing section 22 with respect to thefirst housing section 18, such as when the filter medium 20 is replaced.Changing of the filter medium 20 is accomplished by rotating the secondhousing section 22 via gripping tabs 72 while holding the first housingsection 18 generally stationary via the outer ring 19 of the firsthousing section 18. In this manner, the second housing section 22 isseparated from the first housing section 18 and the filter medium 20 mayeasily be removed and replaced.

[0063] The gripping tabs 71, as well as the outer ring 19 of the firsthousing section 18, may be used to facilitate installation of the airfilter system 10 upon the gasper nozzle 30 of an airliner. That is, apassenger may hold the air filter assembly 10 by the outer ring 19 ofthe first housing section 18 while the clamp sleeve 12 is rotated viagripping tabs 71, so as to effect installation of the air filter system10 upon the gasper nozzle 30.

[0064] Preferably, the clamp sleeve 12 is attached to the first housingsection 18 by left-handed threads, such that rotating the clamp sleeve12 clockwise (from a passenger's point of view when the air filtersystem 10 is being attached to the air supply nozzle 30) causes theclamp sleeve 12 to move toward the second housing section 22, so as tocause the fingers 42 to tighten against the air supply nozzle 30. Thus,the clamp sleeve 12 preferably comprises left-handed internal threads 70which are complementary to left-handed external threads 75 formed uponthe first housing 18.

[0065] Preferably, each of the fingers 42 has an elastomeric pad 44formed proximate a distal end thereof, so as to enhance grasping of theair supply nozzle 30. The elastomeric pads 44 may be formed of anydesired resilient material, as discussed in detail above.

[0066] Each of the fingers 42 is hingedly attached to the first housingsection 18, such as via a living hinge formed at a proximal end thereof.Therefore, the distal end of each of the fingers 42 is independentlyarticulated and may move radially inward and radially outward, so as toeffect attachment and removal from the air supply nozzle 30,respectively. The living hinge 60 is preferably configured such that itspring biases of the fingers 42 radially outwardly.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 4, the clamp sleeve 12 and fingers 42 areconfigured to accommodate a variety of different configurations of thegasper or air supply nozzle 30. The clamp sleeve 12 and the fingers 42are configured so as to facilitate a wide range of movement of thefingers 42 from the outboardmost position thereof to the inboardmostposition thereof. Thus, the fingers 42 are capable of reliably attachingthe air filter system 10 to various different air supply nozzles 30found upon various different airliners.

[0068] A compressible seal 16 is preferably formed of a resilientpolymer foam material such as non-reticulated urethane foam, one exampleof which is known as SUPER SEAL™, (a federally registered trademark ofE. N. Murray Co. of Denver Colo.). Another suitable material for theseal 16 is polyether polyurethane foam, such as BLUE CONFOR™, (afederally registered trademark of Fomex of Linwood, Pa.). The seal 16inhibits air leakage intermediate the first housing section 18 and theair supply nozzle 30. Like the elastomeric pads 44, the compressibleseal 16 may be alternatively formed of any desired resilient material.

[0069] The seal 16 is preferably attached to the first housing section18 at a shoulder 28 thereof formed about the periphery of inlet port 26.The seal 16 is preferably adhesively bonded to the shoulder 28.Alternatively, the seal 16 may be attached to the first housing section18 via ultrasonic welding or any other desired method. As shown in FIG.5 and discussed in detail below, the seal 16 is compressed between theair supply nozzle 30 and the shoulder 28 of the first housing section 18when the air filter system 10 is attached to the air supply nozzle 30.

[0070] According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, aclamp finger assembly collet 62 includes all of the fingers 42 formed ina generally circular or barrel-like fashion so as to have a unitaryconstruction which facilitates easily handling and assembly thereof.More particularly, the collet 62 comprises a plurality of separate,independently articulated fingers 42 which are attached to an annularbase 45 via living hinges 60. Since the individual fingers 42 are notattached to one another, the distal end of each finger 42 is free tomove radially inwardly and radially outwardly as its dedicated livinghinge bends.

[0071] The collet 62 preferably comprises a single injection moldedassembly which is attached, such as via adhesive bonding, to the firsthousing section 18. Those skilled in the art will appreciate thatvarious other means, e.g., such as ultrasonic welding, are likewisesuitable for attaching the collet 62 to the first housing section 18.

[0072] Optionally, the air filter system 10 of the present inventionfurther comprises a ball 65 formed about the air outlet opening 58 ofthe second housing section 22 and an air outlet nozzle 24 attached tothe second housing section 22 via a socket 66 formed in the air outletnozzle 24 which receives the ball 65. The air outlet nozzle 24facilitates aiming of the air flow from the air filter system 10 in adesired direction.

[0073] The components of the air filter system 10, such as the first 18and second 22 housing sections, the clamp sleeve 12, the collet 62 andthe air outlet nozzle 24 are preferably formed via the injection moldingof a rigid, durable polymer material. However, those skilled in the artwill appreciate the various other manufacturing techniques and materialsare likewise suitable.

[0074] Having described the structure of the air filter system in detailabove, it may be beneficial to describe the operation thereof. To attachthe air filter system 10 to an air supply nozzle 30, such as a gasperair supply nozzle of a commercial airliner, the clamp sleeve 12 is firstrotated in a manner which moves the clamp sleeve 12 away from the secondhousing section 22 (preferably in a counter-clockwise direction asviewed by the passenger), thereby allowing the distal ends of thefingers 42 to spring radially outwardly, so as to increase the diameterof the opening defined by the distal ends of the fingers 42, such thatthe air supply nozzle 30 may easily be received therein. The air filtersystem 10 is then positioned upon the air supply nozzle 30 by receivingthe air supply nozzle 30 within the opening defined by the distal endsof the fingers 42. The air filter system 10 is preferably forced ontothe air supply nozzle 30 sufficiently so as to at least partiallycompress the seal 16, as shown in FIG. 5. With the seal 16 socompressed, the clamp sleeve 12 is rotated (preferably clockwise fromthe passenger's point of view) so as to cause the clamp sleeve 12 tomove toward the second housing section 22, thus causing the periphery ofthe opening 57 of the clamp sleeve 12 to cam against the camming surface40 of the fingers 42 in a manner which urges the distal ends of fingers42 radially inwardly against the air supply nozzle 30, thus clamping theair filter system 10 to the air supply nozzle 30.

[0075] As the fingers 42 move inwardly against the air supply nozzle 30,the elastomeric pads 44 compress slightly against the air supply nozzle30, thereby enhancing the grip of the fingers 42 against the air supplynozzle 30 and thus assuring reliable attachment of the air filter systemto the air supply nozzle 30. After the clamp sleeve 12 has beentightened sufficiently to effect secure attachment of the air filtersystem 10 to the air supply nozzle 30, then the air outlet nozzle 24 ofthe air filter system 10 may be aimed so as to direct air flow in adesired direction. The air filter system 10 of the present invention maybe rotated, so as to similarly effect rotation of the air supply nozzle30 in order to adjust the amount of air flow. Thus, the direction andamount of air flow may be adjusted to enhance comfort of the passengerand/or to form a curtain, bubble or other barrier about the passengerwhich is comprised of the cleaner air from the air filter system 10 andwhich thus mitigates exposure of the passenger to less clean air withinthe cabin of the airliner. Thus, the air filter system 10 of the presentinvention provides a flow of comparatively clean air to the passengerand the flow of comparatively clean air directs undesirable airbornecontaminants found within the passenger compartment of the airliner awayfrom the passenger, thus forming a region of comparatively clean airgenerally around the passenger.

[0076] Removal of the air filter system 10 from the air supply nozzle 30is essentially just a reversal of the above-described installationprocess. Thus, the passenger merely rotates the clamp sleeve 12 in adirection which moves the clamp sleeve 12 away from the second housingsection 22 (preferably in a counterclockwise direction as viewed by thepassenger). Such rotation of the clamp sleeve 12 allows the distal endsof the fingers 42 to move radially outwardly, thus releasing their gripupon the air supply nozzle 30 and allowing the air filter system 10 toeasily be removed from the air supply nozzle 30.

[0077] The clamp sleeve 12 and the second housing section 22 arepreferably comprised of clear polystyrene, such as KRO1 Clear Philips.Alternatively, the clamp sleeve 12 and the second housing section 22 arecomprised of either ABS or polycarbonate ABS.

[0078] The air outlet nozzle 24 is preferably comprised of acetalcopolymer. Alternatively, the air outlet nozzle 24 is comprised ofeither ABS or polycarbonate ABS.

[0079] The clamp fingers 42 and the first housing section 18 arepreferably formed of Acetal M90 Natural Celcon or molded nylon.

[0080] The clamp sleeve 12 is preferably transparent, so as tofacilitate viewing of the fingers 22 as they are tightened upon the airsupply nozzle 30, in order to assure proper attachment of the air filtersystem 10 to the air supply nozzle 30 during the installation process.The fingers 42 are also preferably transparent, so as to facilitateviewing of the seal 16, so as to assure that the seal is properlycompressed, i.e., so as to insure that the air supply nozzle is properlyseated to the seal 16 in a manner which minimizes air leakage.

[0081] The first housing section 18 and/or the second housing section 22are preferably transparent, so as to facilitate viewing of the filtermedium 20. In this manner, a visual determination of the need to replacethe filter medium 20 is easily performed.

[0082] Referring now to FIG. 6, according to an alternativeconfiguration, the air filter system 100 has a housing which comprises afirst housing section 118 attached to a second housing section 122 andhas a filter medium 120 captured between a shoulder 154 of the firsthousing section 118 and a shoulder 156 of the second housing section122.

[0083] The first housing section 118 may be permanently attached, e.g.,via adhesive bonding, ultrasonic welding, etc., to the second housingsection 122. When the first housing section 118 is permanently attachedto the second housing section 122, then the air filter system 100 isconsidered to be disposable, i.e., intended for only a limited number ofuses.

[0084] Alternatively, the first housing section 118 may be removablyattached, e.g., via threaded coupling or the use of fasteners, to thesecond housing section 122, so as to facilitate easy removal andreplacement of the filter medium 120. Thus, for example, the firsthousing section 118 optionally comprises female threads and the secondhousing member 122 optionally comprises male threads which screw intothe female threads of the first housing section 118, so as to capturethe filter medium 120 between the first housing section 118 and thesecond housing section 122. The first 118 and second 122 housingsections may also be attached to one another via bayonet detents and thelike.

[0085] The first housing section 118 has an opening 126 through whichair from the air supply nozzle 30 is received. The second housingsection 122 similarly has an opening 158 through which air exits thesecond housing 122. Air outlet nozzle 124 comprises a socket 166 whichfits over and attaches to a complimentary ball 165 of the lower housingsection 122, so as to facilitate desired aiming of the comparativelyclean air output of the air filter system 100.

[0086] The air filter system 100 is attached to the air supply nozzle 30of an airliner via adhesive bonding, such as by adhesive foam pad 117which defines a seal or gasket. The adhesive foam pad 117 comprises alayer of foam material having pressure sensitive adhesive formed to atleast one surface, i.e., the upper surface, thereof. Optionally, thefoam material may have adhesive formed to both surfaces thereof, suchthat the foam material is attached to the upper housing 118 via adhesivebonding.

[0087] The adhesive foam pad 117 is preferably configured as a washerand preferably has sufficient thickness so as to provide a desired airseal between the air supply nozzle 30 and the air filter system 100 inspite of surface imperfections formed in the air supply nozzle 30 and/orthe first housing section 118. That is, the foam adhesive pad 117 issufficiently resilient to fill-in gaps between the air supply nozzle 30and the first housing section 118, so as to inhibit air leakagetherebetween.

[0088] One example of such a pressure sensitive adhesive which ispre-applied to a foam material is 3M COMMAND ADHESIVE™, provided by 3MCompany of St. Paul, Minn. The foam gasket 117 preferably has athickness of between 0.030 inch and 0.100 inch, preferably,approximately 0.80 inch.

[0089] The air filter system 100 is preferably attached to a air supplynozzle 30 of an airliner by first removing a protective paper coveringfrom the adhesive foam 117, so as to expose the adhesive thereof. Theair filter system 100 is then pushed against the air supply nozzle 30,so as to cause the foam adhesive 117 to compress slightly and adhere tothe air supply nozzle 30. Such compression of the foam adhesive 117 bothassures adequate contact of the adhesive with the air supply nozzle 30,so as to provide reliable attachment of the air filter system 100 to theair supply nozzle 30, and also pushes the foam of the foam adhesive 117into any gaps or other surface imperfections formed at the interface ofthe upper housing section 118 and the air supply nozzle 30, so as tomitigate air leakage therebetween.

[0090] After installation of the air filter system 100 to the air supplynozzle 30, the air outlet nozzle 124 thereof may be manipulated so as todirect air in a desired direction, such as upon the head and/or torso ofthe passenger. Air flow through the air filter system 100 may becontrolled by rotating the air supply nozzle 30, so as to effect controlof the butterfly valve associated therewith. The air supply nozzle 30may be rotated either by grasping and turning the air supply nozzle 30itself, or by grasping and turning the air filter system 100 of thepresent invention.

[0091] The first 118 and second 122 housing sections are preferablyformed of clear polystyrene such as KRO1 Clear Philips. The air outletnozzle 124 is preferably comprised of acetal copolymer. Alternatively,the first 118 and second 122 housing sections and air outlet nozzle 124may be comprised of ABS or polycarbonate ABS.

[0092] The first 118 and second 122 housing sections are preferablytransparent, so as to facilitate easy viewing of the filter medium 120,such that a need to replace the filter medium 120 or the entire airfilter system 100 may easily be determined.

[0093] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various othermaterials are suitable for use in the construction of eitherconfiguration of the present invention. Generally, it is desirable thatthe air filter system of either configuration of the present inventionbe comprised of durable, preferably transparent plastic materials.

[0094] It is understood that the exemplary air filter system describedherein and shown in the drawings represents only the presently preferredembodiment of the invention. Indeed, various modifications and additionsmay be made to such embodiment without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. For example, although the housing of the airfilter system of the present invention is described and shown as beinggenerally circular in cross-section, those skilled in the art willappreciate the various other cross-sectional configurations are likewisesuitable. For example, the air filter system of the present inventionmay instead have a cross-sectional configuration which is generallysquare, rectangular, triangular, hexagonal, octagonal, oval or any otherdesired shape.

[0095] Further, various different filter medium types are contemplated.A charcoal, ion exchange resin or other similar absorbent may beutilized so as to enhance removal of chemical contaminants. Indeed, anydesired combination of filter mediums or types may of filter mediums beutilized.

[0096] Further, various different types of clamping mechanisms forattaching the air filter system of the present invention to an airsupply nozzle or the like are contemplated. The clamping mechanism neednot comprise a collet having fingers but rather may comprise anystructure which effects clamping of the housing of the air filter systemof the present invention to an air supply nozzle or the like. These andother modifications and additions may be obvious to those skilled in theart and may be implemented to adapt the present invention for a use in avariety of different applications.

1. An air filtration system for mounting to an air supply nozzle of apassenger compartment; the air filtration system comprising: a two-parthousing comprising an upper housing part and a lower housing part; theupper and lower housing parts comprising an exterior surface and aninterior surface and wherein the interior surface defining an interiorcavity; a filter medium disposed in the interior cavity of the two-parthousing; an inlet nozzle defined by an opening having an inside diameteron the upper housing part; the diameter of the opening being smallerthan an inside diameter of the air supply nozzle of the passengercompartment; an outlet nozzle disposed on the lower housing part; and anadhesive bonded to at least one of the exterior surface of the upperhousing part proximate the inlet nozzle or the air supply nozzle of thepassenger compartment.
 2. The air filtration system of claim 1, whereinthe upper and lower housing parts are attached to one another bydetents.
 3. The air filtration system of claim 1, wherein the upper andlower housing parts are attached to one another by adhesive bonding, byultrasonic welding, or by threading.
 4. The air filtration system ofclaim 1, wherein the outlet nozzle of the lower housing part comprisesan extension such that an opening of the outlet nozzle is spaced apartfrom the exterior surface of the lower housing part.
 5. The airfiltration system of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is bonded to both theexterior surface of the upper housing part proximate the inlet nozzleand the air supply nozzle of the passenger compartment.
 6. The airfiltration system of claim 1, wherein the filter medium comprises anelectrostatically charged polypropylene non-woven membrane.
 7. The airfiltration system of claim 1, further comprising an air directionalnozzle attached to the outlet nozzle, wherein the air directional nozzleis moveable relative to the lower housing part.
 8. The air filtrationsystem of claim 4, further comprising an air directional nozzle attachedto the extension of the outlet nozzle.
 9. A method for filtering airdischarged from an air supply nozzle of a passenger compartmentcomprising: attaching a two-part housing of an air filtration systemcomprising an upper housing part and a lower housing part to the airsupply nozzle of the passenger compartment; the upper and lower housingparts comprising an exterior surface and an interior surface and whereinthe interior surface defining an interior cavity; passing air from theair supply nozzle through the interior cavity of the two-part housingvia an inlet nozzle disposed on the upper housing part; the inlet nozzledefining an opening having an inside diameter smaller than an insidediameter of the air supply nozzle; filtering the air by passing at leasta portion of the air entered the inlet nozzle through a filter mediumdisposed in the interior cavity of the two-part housing; discharging thefiltered air by directing the filtered air through an outlet nozzledisposed on the lower housing part; and wherein the attaching stepcomprises bonding at least one of the exterior surface of the upperhousing part proximate the inlet nozzle or the air supply nozzle of thepassenger compartment with an adhesive.
 10. The method of claim 9,further comprising the step of bonding the adhesive to both the exteriorsurface of the upper housing part proximate the inlet nozzle and the airsupply nozzle of the passenger compartment.
 11. The method of claim 9,further comprising the step of separating the air filtration system fromthe air supply nozzle by separating the bonding from at least one of theexterior surface of the upper housing part proximate the inlet nozzle orthe air supply nozzle of the passenger compartment.
 12. The method ofclaim 9, wherein the upper housing part and the lower housing part areattached to one another by one of adhesive bonding, ultrasonic welding,detent engagement, or threading engagement.
 13. The method of claim 9,wherein the filter medium comprises an electrostatically chargedpolypropylene non-woven membrane.
 14. The method of claim 9, furthercomprising an air direction nozzle attached to the outlet nozzle of thelower housing part.
 15. An air filtration device for filtering airdischarged from an air supply source of a passenger compartmentcomprising: a housing comprising an upper section and a lower section,the upper and lower sections comprising an exterior surface and aninterior surface, which defines an interior cavity; a filter mediumdisposed in the interior cavity of the housing; an inlet nozzle disposedon the upper section, the inlet nozzle being defined by an opening inthe upper section; an outlet nozzle disposed on the lower housingsection; and wherein an adhesive is bonded to a portion of the exteriorsurface of the upper section proximate the inlet nozzle, and wherein theadhesive comprises a passage for passing air discharged from the airsupply nozzle.
 16. The air filtration device of claim 15, wherein theupper and lower sections are attached to one another by one of adhesivebonding, detent attachment, ultrasonic welding, or threaded engagement.17. The air filtration device of claim 15, further comprising an airdirectional nozzle attached to the outlet nozzle of the lower section.18. The air filtration device of claim 15, wherein the adhesive atwo-sided a foam adhesive.
 19. The air filtration device of claim 15,wherein the filter medium is removable from the housing.
 20. The airfiltration device of claim 17, wherein the air directional nozzle isattached to the outlet nozzle of the lower section by a ball and socketconfiguration.